Quantum Entanglement
by Nilloke
Summary: Rey finds herself dreaming about Kylo Ren and discovers she has feelings for him that she wasn't consciously aware of. What could this mean for her going forward? Will she be able to overcome her feelings and fight against the Dark Side? (Reylo) *A special thanks to Darth Shizuka of Deviant Art for creating such a wonderful piece of art for me to use as my cover!*
1. Chapter 1: Dreams

Chapter 1: Dreams

Rey tossed restlessly in her bed on the Millennium Falcon, trying to get some sleep during the long journey through space to find Luke Skywalker. Sleep would not come, however. Images kept flashing in her mind: Han being killed, Finn lying unconscious in the healing capsule, the rocky island she always saw in her dreams. Could that be where she was heading now?

Her stomach clenched anxiously thinking about what she would say if she even found Luke. Would she be able to persuade him to leave his exile and join the fight against the First Order? Would he train her in the ways of the force? Kylo Ren had said she needed a teacher. If Luke wouldn't train her, who would? Certainly not Kylo Ren. That wasn't a side of the force she wanted to get tangled up with, no matter how tempting his offer. No, she needed a Jedi. And Luke might just be the last one alive.

She tried to force her mind to be calm. Rey needed sleep or she wouldn't be able to convince anyone of anything. When sleep finally took her, however, it was not restful. Tossing and turning, she dreamed...

 _Rey was training. A dark forest surrounded her. Snow covered the ground and fell lightly from the cloudy night sky, but she couldn't feel the cold. She was concentrating hard, arm outstretched to keep a large boulder levitating a few feet above the ground. Beads of sweat were breaking out on her temple and between her breasts. One bead trickled down her neck and made her shiver. Her concentration broke and the boulder fell to the ground, causing snow to flurry up around her._

 _"Not bad," said a low voice behind her. She turned expecting to see her master, but it wasn't Luke Skywalker who now approached her. It was Kylo Ren. He looked the same as the last time she saw him: mask gone, long robes trailing in the snow, and a long scar across the right side of his face. She had done that. Regret flashed in her briefly before the rush of fear came over her. Fear and then anger._

 _"You!" she screamed at him. She reached for Luke's light saber, but it wasn't there. Before she could think to do anything else, Ren force pushed her against the nearest tree and held her there. She tried to move but couldn't. She thought their strength had been nearly equal when they fought before, and she had been training since then. Had he gotten stronger since they met last? He stalked slowly closer to her, dark eyes never leaving her face._

 _"I have not come to fight you," he said calmly. "I just want to talk."_

 _"I have nothing to say to a monster like you," she spat at him. But even as she spoke, she could feel her resolve falter. She felt hate for this man, true, but there was something else too. Empathy? Attraction? How could she be attracted to someone who had killed so many? She calmed her mind and attempted to break his force hold again, but to no avail. He was so powerful._

 _"A monster I may be, but you and I are not so different," he came closer. Uncomfortably close. "You feed off of anger and fear for your strength, just as I do. You are tapping into the dark side of the force, whether you are aware of it or not."_

 _Rey didn't have a comeback for that. She knew next to nothing about the force, so how could she know which side she was drawing from. "You don't seem scared or angry right now," she threw out, not knowing what else to say. "How are you so strong?"_

 _"There are many things that one can draw power from. Pain...passion." At the last word, his dark eyes flickered briefly to her lips. She felt her cheeks flush and her heart begin to beat faster. "One simply has to know how to channel those feelings. I can teach you that."_

 _"No, I don't need a teacher. Luke Skywalker is going to train me." She tried to sound as confident as she could, but she had doubt. Would he train her?_

 _"If Skywalker is so powerful, why is he hiding?" Kylo Ren's voice started to rise in anger. She had hit a nerve, she thought, but he regained his composure quickly. "How will he train you to beat me when he himself couldn't do so? The dark side is stronger, and you know it. You can feel it. Just let it in." His face was inches from hers now. She could feel his breath on her cheek, warm in the cold air. Rey was still stuck against the tree, but she was able to turn her face away. She couldn't look at him. It confused things even more. She knew she couldn't say yes to him, but she wanted to so badly. He was right. Why was Luke hiding if he was strong enough to beat Kylo Ren? Maybe he had given up and was simply hiding to avoid the torture and death that would surely await him at the hands of Ren or Snoke._

 _"And if I said yes, what then?" Rey asked quietly. "You turn me over to your master and let me become some pawn of the First Order?"_

 _"That would be for you to decide," he said, releasing his force hold on her and stepping a small pace back. She fell to her knees, breathing hard. Her muscles ached from the strain of trying to break free. After catching her breath, so stood slowly and looked up at him. He was waiting for her response with an expression she could not read, his eyes searching hers. "You are so beautiful," he said slowly, reaching a tentative hand towards her face but not touching her._

 _"What?" Rey said confused, stepping back and bumping into the tree she had been held against a moment before. She fumbled for words, the intense way he stared into her eyes making her stomach clench and heat rise in her cheeks. He spoke again before she could say anything else._

 _"Let me train you," he said, stepping forward again, his body nearly pressing against hers. His hand moved to caress her cheek. She flinched slightly at his touch but couldn't look away from his heated stare. Her face burned hot and her heart was pounding in her ears. Surely he could hear it. "Let me train you, and when you have completed your training you can decide if you want to join me... or kill me." He was quiet for a long moment, and then said, "It would not be such a terrible death if yours was the last face I ever saw."_

 _She looked up at him, eyes searching hers in a sad kind of way. Before she could think about what she was doing, she leaned up and kissed him, deeply. He stiffened for a moment but then relaxed against her kiss, body melting against hers. Rey's hands were in his hair, pulling him closer, needing him to be closer. His arms wrapped around her, hands sliding down her back. He pulled her against him and braced their bodies against the tree._

 _Rey pulled away from the kiss, breathless. Ren's mouth immediately moved to her neck, kissing and running his teeth against her earlobe. Rey moaned and felt goosebumps rise on her flesh, drowning in the sensations. What was she doing? The thought flickered briefly in her mind, but then Ren was moving lower. Still holding her up against the tree, he moved down her neck and kissed along the length of her collarbone, black hair brushing lightly against her skin._

 _Rey gasped, hands tightening in Ren's hair. He picked up his head to look at her, eyes meeting hers briefly and then brought his lips to hers again. Gently, he slid his tongue across her lower lip as they kissed. Rey parted her lips ever so slightly to allow him entrance and he took full advantage of the opportunity. His hands came down lower to cup her buttocks and lift her up so that he was positioned between her opened thighs, pining her against the tree._

" _Wait," Rey gasped, pulling away from his kiss. "What are we doing? We can't…" Her breathing was ragged. She couldn't find the words. Ren still held her pinned against the tree. She could feel him hard between her legs, but he didn't move. He just looked her in the eyes, searching for what he should do next._

 _Finally he spoke. "This is your dream," he said. "You decide how you want it to end."_

 _A dream… None of this was real. How had she not seen it before? It sure felt pretty damn real. She looked back into his eyes, a pained expression on her face. Did her subconscious really want Kylo Ren so badly? She knew the answer before she finished asking herself the question. Of course, she did._

 _Leaning in slowly, she put her forehead against his. "I want you," she breathed, barely a whisper. With Rey's permission given, Ren kissed her hard, more urgently than before. Rey's hands reached down to fumble with his belt while he let her feet down to the ground. Before she could get the belt undone, Ren was tugging her pants down over her knees. He bent to help her untangle her feet from the clothing and threw it to the side. Staying on his knees, he leaned in to kiss her inner thigh. Rey breathed in sharply as he moved higher up her leg, kissing slowly as he went._

 _He paused when he reached her middle, reaching a gloved hand up to part her folds, then leaned in and sucked hard on her swollen clit. Rey screamed with pleasure, head falling back against the tree, hands holding on to his arms for dear life. She squeezed her eyes shut against the light snow as it landed on her cheeks and melted. She was surprised it didn't turn right to steam, as hot as her cheeks felt. Whatever he was doing felt amazing. She briefly wondered if he'd had much practice or was just naturally good at this._

 _Rey felt him moving up, but the pleasure between her thighs didn't stop. She opened her eyes and met his gaze as his face came level to hers. The side of his mouth quirked up at her confused expression. "The force isn't just good for fighting and levitating rocks," he smirked at her, pushing his body against hers._

" _Good to know," Rey said hoarsely, the sensations causing her to tremble slightly. Her hands moved to his belt again, this time getting it unclasped and pushing his black pants down over his ass. His lips were on hers in an instant, hot tongue moving hard against hers. He lifted her against him again, and she felt his warm girth rubbing against her clit. She reached down to caress it, moving her hand up and down his length and rubbing the tip along the insides of her folds._

 _Ren was the one to break away from the kiss this time. He was breathing heavily and searched her eyes again, looking for any sign of doubt. Rey guided him so that he was just above her entrance and then looked up to meet his gaze, willing him to make the final move. He pushed swiftly, both of them letting out a sigh of relief and pleasure. A few quick strokes and Rey was coming, her nails digging into the robes he still wore. Ren watched her come undone, savoring each noise and expression she made._

 _He went still as the last of her tremors subsided and felt himself spilling into her, sweet release washing over him. He leaned to kiss her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips. When he pulled away, she was saying something._

" _All personnel to the flight deck immediately!"_

" _What?" he said confused. His vision was starting to blur._

"All personnel to the flight deck immediately!"

Kylo Ren awoke with a start, naked in his bed. He looked around, almost expecting to see Rey somewhere. It was dark except for a red light blinking above his door. His cock was painfully stiff. He went about relieving the pain, clutching at the last remnants of his dream. It had seemed so real. And had he convinced Rey to be his apprentice? How had he done that? The dream was disappearing from his mind quickly. With a few quick final strokes, he released his frustration, seed spilling onto his stomach.

The loudspeaker sounded again. It was general Hux's voice. "All personnel to the flight deck immediately! We are preparing for landing!" Deciding to ponder the meaning of his dream at a later time, Kylo Ren cleaned himself off and dressed, pulling his helmet down tightly. It was time to focus on his upcoming training with Supreme Leader Snoke.


	2. Chapter 2: Luke

Chapter 2: Interlude

Rey woke with a start. She had been yanked from her dream by what sounded like someone talking into a loudspeaker. She sat up in bed and looked around, but only silence surrounded her. Rey took a deep breath and placed a hand over her racing heart. Was it pounding so hard from being startled awake, or had the dream done that? And why the hell was she having dreams like _that_ about Kylo Ren? Sure, he was handsome and had a kind of dark intensity to his eyes that made her uncomfortable. She found herself blushing thinking about those eyes meeting hers as he - no! She couldn't think of him like that. He was evil.

He had killed the only man who had ever come close to feeling like a father to her. Not only that, but Han Solo had been Ren's father too. What kind of person killed his own father? Rey would give anything to have even the remotest hint of a family, and Kylo Ren had thrown that away like it was nothing. Rey let her head fall back against her pillow and threw the blankets up over her head in frustration. It was just a dream. It didn't mean anything, except that maybe on some level she was attracted to Kylo Ren. But that was purely aesthetic. She would never act on those feelings. A venomous snake might be gorgeous, but its bite is still deadly.

Rey contemplated going back to sleep, but her mind was too busy. Even if she tried, she doubted sleep would come. So instead, she got up and dressed and went off to see how Chewie was doing with the ship. She found him in his copilot's seat and went to sit beside him in the captain's seat.

When he saw her, he roared softly at her.

"I slept fine, thanks," Rey answered him. "Did you get any sleep?"

Chewie shook his head and made a kind of sad sound.

"You miss him, don't you?"

Chewie nodded and made a short series of soft roars.

"I do too," she said sadly. Rey looked out at the open expanse of space before them and noticed that they were slowly approaching a blue planet. This was it! They had finally made it to where the map led. "Chewie, we're here!" she said excitedly. The Falcon dove down through the clouds and below was a huge ocean littered with tiny, rocky islands. It looked like her dreams. A larger island loomed ahead, and Rey didn't even have to check the map to be sure. She knew this was the one because it was the exact island she'd seen in her dreams. How could that be? Had some part of her known Luke Skywalker was here the whole time?

Trying not to think what implications this might have, she focused on landing the Falcon gently on a rocky ledge, the only spot that looked large and flat enough to land the ship. Once safely landed, Rey began to gather up what she needed. She grabbed the light saber and placed it in a bag around her shoulders. As an afterthought, she picked up her staff. She didn't really know what she might run into out on the island. Plus, she could see it might be a bit of a hike, and the staff could definitely double as a walking stick of she needed it.

Outside the Millennium Falcon, Chewie and R2-D2 wished her luck as Rey turned to start the long climb up the slope of the mountainous island. There were stairs at least. She wondered absently who had built them as she started her climb. She could already feel the power in this place. It made her feel strong and small at the same time. Her stomach clenched nervously as she thought about what she might find at the top of the stairs, but she pushed those thoughts away. Whatever (or whoever) she found, she would figure out her next step when she found it.

The climb was difficult. Her thighs began to burn about half way up, but she pushed on. She found her mind wandering again to her dream. She didn't really want to think about it, but it kept her mind off of her aching legs at least. Images and feelings flashed in her mind: the snow falling on her face, the rough tree bark at her back, how he felt inside her… Rey's stomach clenched in a different way now, and she could feel herself growing warm. And it wasn't just because of the hike.

When she reached what she thought was the top, she was breathing heavily. She walked around what looked like a small stone village. The walls and small homes looked extremely weathered as if they were very old. She felt a kind of sadness looking around at the empty buildings. People had lived here once, but whoever it had been was long dead. She saw no sign of Luke Skywalker.

Just when she had almost given up and turned around to go back, she found another path leading up a grassy slope. There were no stairs here, but it definitely looked like it lead somewhere. She started climbing again, marveling at how green the grass around her was. As she neared the top of the hill, she saw a figure, cloaked in grey and looking out over the vast ocean. Her heart stopped. Was this him? She stepped closer and she noticed the figure was standing next to a grave. Briefly, she wondered who it was for, when the figure started to turn around.

It studied her from under a shadowy hood, then slowly reached up and lowered the hood with one normal arm and one mechanical. It was a man. He was older, greying hair long and tousled by the wind and a greying beard. He seemed confused by her presence and maybe troubled? Not knowing what to say, Rey simply pulled out the lightsaber and offered it to the man. His reaction to this would surely tell her if he was truly Luke Skywalker. He looked at the saber as if it might bite him.

There was a long, painful silence as he considered her and then the saber again. She stayed as she was. Rey wasn't sure if she was frozen in fear, awe, or something else. After what seemed like ages, the man raised his hand and force pulled the lightsaber into his non-mechanical hand.

Rey let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "So you're him?" she said cautiously. "You're Luke Skywalker?"

The man nodded slowly, "I used to be. A long time ago…" He studied the lightsaber now with reverence, going over every detail of it. "I haven't seen this blade in a very long time." He switched it on and waved it, testing it in the air and watching the blue light wistfully. Then he switched it off and tossed it back at Rey. She caught it, a little ungracefully for being caught off guard. "I'm not that man anymore," he said, turning back to face the ocean.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rey asked, a little annoyed.

"It means," he started in, voice rising slightly, "Whatever you are here for, you're wasting your time."

"I've come for the Resistance. They need you!" she pleaded. "Your sister-"

"Leia doesn't want to see me," he cut her off. "It's because of me that her only son is gone!"

Rey was thankful that Luke's back was still turned on her so that he couldn't see her eyes roll at him in frustration. She was tired of people who didn't seem to care that they had family members that loved and cared about them. "Your sister loves you. Whatever happened between you and Be-" she stumbled on the name. It felt strange to call Kylo Ren by his real name. As she said the name, she could almost picture a more innocent version of him in her head, playing with Chewie or swinging his uncle's lightsaber for the first time. Luke had noticed her pause and turned around again to face her. She took a deep breath so that her voice wouldn't sound angry when she spoke again. "Whatever happened between you and Ben, Leia doesn't blame you. I'm sure of it. She's had her best people out looking for you. And the First Order is looking for you too. Hundreds of people have died to keep your location a secret. You can't just stay here forever and hope that it all just goes away."

He was gazing at her with a strange expression on his face now. He was searching her eyes for something, and for a moment Rey wasn't sure if he was looking at her or seeing something from the past. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Rey." A small glimmer of recognition flitted in his eyes for a moment and then was gone. Rey wasn't even sure she had seen it. Maybe she was imagining things. She had never met this man before. How could he know who she was?

"Come, Rey. Let's go inside and talk." He motioned down the hill towards the little empty village. She followed him down and into a small stone hut at the base of the hill. There wasn't much on the inside, but it was bigger than the home she had known on Jakku. An old wooden table sat in the middle of the one room hut. On one wall there was a fireplace, and on the wall opposite was a small bed.

Luke motioned for her to take a seat at the table while he went about lighting a fire in the fireplace. "Would you like tea?" he asked. Rey nodded and watched him pull an ancient-looking kettle off a shelf, fill it with water, and set it over the kindling fire. Once he got the flame burning steadily, he came over and sat across from Rey at the table. "So Rey, why did my sister send you after me?"

"I think she was hoping…Well I think we were all hoping you'd be able to help in the fight against the dark side." She looked down at her clasped hands on the table. This all still seemed so surreal. She was sitting across from Luke Skywalker, talking about the dark side: two things she had thought were a myth just mere days ago.

"And train more Jedi?" he said a little bitterly. Rey looked up into his eyes and saw a deep pain there. She knew this was bringing up bad memories, but this is what she had come for. Yes, she had come to help the Resistance, but what she really wanted for herself was training in the ways of the force. And as far as she was concerned, this was the only force-user that could help her.

"Well, yes. The Resistance needs more people that can fight the First Order. Finn and I did okay against Kylo Ren when he was injured, but I don't think anyone in the Resistance could take him at full strength. We need the Jedi." She looked pleadingly into his eyes, but his face was impassive. She looked back down at her hands in defeat, letting out a sigh. She didn't know how to convince him. "And…" she paused for a long moment, trying to gather up her courage. Then finally taking a deep breath, "I need a teacher."

His eyebrows rose at this. "You?" He was giving her that strange look again. But before he could say anything else, the kettle starting whistling, and Luke got up to pour the tea. Rey let out a deep sigh and stared up at the bare wall before her. This was not going well at all. Why did he seem so hostile?

Luke was back in a moment, handing her the tea. "Be careful, it's very hot." She took it carefully and began to blow on its surface lightly. It smelled wonderful. "So you have some power in the force? Have you had some training before?"

"Well, not exactly. I only just discovered it a few days ago," she said sipping her tea tentatively. It was hot, but it didn't burn her tongue, so she took a bigger gulp. It tasted amazing. She could feel the warmth spreading through her body, making her fingers tingle.

"Just a few days ago?" The expression on Luke's face was changing from one of impassivity to one of concern, but his face was beginning to blur. He was saying something else, but everything was becoming muffled. What was happening? Her last thought before falling unconscious was, _that bastard_.


	3. Chapter 3: Training

Kylo Ren made his way down a long hallway, limping slightly as he went. The lightsaber burns he had received from Rey hardly bothered him now, but the blaster wound he had received from Chewbacca was still causing him a great deal of discomfort. He knew he should have the medical staff see to it, yet a part of him liked the pain. It kept him focused and kept his mind off the emotional pain he was sure would come. So far, Ren had been able to keep the images of his father's last expression out of his mind. No, not his father. Ben Solo's father had died, but Kylo Ren had no father. He only had Supreme Leader Snoke.

General Hux had said that the Supreme Leader wished to see him to complete his training. Excitement and apprehension fought within him. Ren had been working towards this day for years, and the training had been tortuous, to say the least. He couldn't imagine what it might take to complete it, but he was ready for whatever Snoke had planned. And when he was done, he would be a master of the dark side of the force, not only the Knights of Ren.

Kylo Ren reached the entrance of Supreme Leader Snoke's chamber and paused for a moment to prepare himself. After taking a deep breath, Ren waved his hand, and the metal doors slid open in front of him. Inside lay a huge chamber with smooth stone floors and jagged rocky walls. An ancient-looking stone chair sat empty in the center of the room. To his right, instead of rocky wall, there was a large opening. If it weren't for the glass that covered it, he was sure a TIE fighter could fit through the opening and land in the room. It was a striking view. The sun was just now setting over dark mountains in the distance, bright stars starting to show in the darkening sky, and three moons rose at different levels in the sky. It was there that Ren found Snoke.

"You wished to see me, Supreme Leader?"

The tall robed figure didn't turn around. "Kylo Ren...come." Ren walked over to stand directly next to his master. Although Ren was tall in his own right, the Supreme Leader was taller by at least an inch. Snoke didn't say anything further, just looked out at the sunset with an almost wistful expression on his face. Ren didn't want to seem too eager, so he did not speak. He waited for Snoke to speak first.

Once the sun had finally set and its light faded from the sky, Snoke spoke. "We have been dealt a heavy blow, Ren. It will take some time to get back to what we were." He stopped and turned to Kylo Ren for what he had to say next, "And with that time, I want you to complete your training."

Kylo Ren knelt down. "I'm ready, Supreme Leader. Whatever you ask."

"We do not yet acquire what you will need," Snoke said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully, "but I believe that may be just as well. You are not ready just yet."

Ren felt anger welling inside himself. He knew he was ready. He had done what no other Knight of Ren had done and slain his own kin for the dark side. He knew he was the most powerful of them. And he alone was descended from Darth Vader, and therefore meant to bring order to the force and the galaxy. Yet the Supreme Leader was holding him back.

"You do not agree," Snoke said quietly.

Kylo Ren wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement. He was sure Snoke could feel his anger. "I trust your judgement, I just don't understa-"

"Tell me," Snoke cut him off, "why is the scavenger still alive?"

"You wanted her," Kylo Ren shook his head slightly, not understanding. "I thought she would be useful to us."

"And yet, she is not here before me," Snoke's voice was beginning to rise.

"She is strong with the force, as I have told you," Ren's voice rose in answer.

"Look me in the eye, and tell me you couldn't have beaten her."

Ren began to speak and then stopped. He thought back to the fight with Rey. He _could_ have beaten her. Even after she gained some control of the force, he had seen openings. Yet, he hadn't taken them. What had stopped him? In the heat of battle, he hadn't had time to think. Now, looking back, he saw that he could have won. "I might've killed her," he said weakly.

"Which would have been better than her getting away. Now she is in the hands of the Resistance, and they may find Luke Skywalker any day now!" Snoke let out a deep sigh and calmed slightly. "You didn't try to beat her for fear of harming her. Your compassion for her made you weak. It is that compassion that we must eliminate before you are ready for your final test."

Kylo Ren knew he was right. He had allowed himself to develop feelings for the girl. That was the only thing that explained his dream. Or was it? He and Snoke had both felt the awakening in the force. Maybe it had been her. Maybe that was why he found himself drawn to her. Regardless, he couldn't hold back next time. That had been Darth Vader's downfall. If he hadn't let sentiment get in the way, he may still be here now. "Yes, Supreme Leader. What must I do?"

The Supreme Leader smiled at him maliciously, made all the more gruesome by his disfigured face. "I have something for you," he said, and gestured to a large door at the back of the room. "A training exercise of sorts."

Ren stood up and walked slowly towards the door. He stopped at the entrance to the door and turned back to Snoke. He nodded for Ren to continue, then turned back to stare out at the night sky. Facing back towards the door, Ren wondered what Snoke had up his sleeve this time. He'd had many training sessions in this room, and all of them had been both mentally and physically taxing. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and then waved to enter the room.

It was a room very similar the the previous one he had been in, only slightly smaller and with no windows. As soon as the door closed behind him, however, the scenery changed from stone floor and rocky walls to one very similar to where he had fought with Rey. Ren knew it was an illusion created by Snoke, but the feel of the snow crunching under his feet felt so real. These illusions never failed to impress him, and yet they managed to become more realistic every time he trained here. Snoke had really outdone himself on this one. It looked almost exactly like the snowy forest on Starkiller Base. There were even light snowflakes falling around him. He didn't doubt that it would feel cold to the touch if he removed a glove to catch one.

"Ben?" The voice came from off to his left, and he turned to find his mother walking towards him. Ren's heart stopped. He hadn't expected to see her in Snoke's training. Unlike with his father, Ren bore no ill will against his mother.

"Mother?" he said in a choked voice. He couldn't say the last time he had seen her, but she looked exactly how he remembered. "You're not real," he said regaining his composure.

"Aren't I?" She was standing right in front of him now. Reaching up and standing on her tiptoes, she gently lifted Kylo Ren's helmet off his head. He couldn't help ducking a little to make it easier for her. No illusion had ever done something like that before. He almost began to doubt that she _was_ an illusion. "There's my son," she said smiling up at him. She reached up and gently touched the scar on his face, a look of concern showing on her own. He could actually _feel_ the warmth of her touch. "Who has done this to you?"

Before he could speak, the shining blue blade of a lightsaber erupted from Leia's chest. She gasped and dropped the helmet. "Nooooo!" Ren screamed, as the lightsaber pulled out of her and she fell to the ground lifeless. He knelt to cradle her body, hot tears beginning to brim his eyes. Looking up, he saw Rey standing there with the blue lightsaber in her hand - his grandfather's lightsaber. Anger flooded him, and he stood, igniting his own saber.

 _Let the anger flow through you. Let the dark side of the force guide you_ , Snoke's voice said in Kylo Ren's head.

He did as Snoke said, letting himself be taken over by the dark side of the force. Stepping over the lifeless body of Leia, he struck at Rey. She countered, but the force of his blow pushed her back. He continued to strike blow after blow, and she parried every one, but with each parry he pushed her further back. Finally, there was no further for her to go. A giant chasm spanned behind her, and he could feel her fear through the force. It was just as when they had fought before. Only this time, he struck again. When their blades caught together, he twisted her sideways and she lost her balance. She screamed as her feet slipped over the edge of the chasm, but she caught a large tree root and clung to it for dear life.

 _Kill her_ , Snoke whispered in his head.

Ren looked down at her. She was struggling to keep hold of the root, her feet searching in vain for some kind of foothold. He knew he should want to kill her, but watching her struggle elicited a feeling of pity in him.

Snoke must have felt his hesitation. Now he was all but yelling at Kylo Ren. _KILL HER! Think about what she did! Do it now!_

He tried to draw on the anger he had felt, but it was gone. He only felt anger at himself for being so weak. Ren screamed and attacked the nearest tree with his lightsaber, leaving white scar marks on its dark bark. Then everything disappeared, and he was back in the stone room. He sank to his knees and sat there in silence, brooding over his failure.

 _I know you can do better_ , Snoke's voice said quietly. _Let's try again._

The room dissipated again, and Ren was surrounded by green forest. Sunlight was shining through the trees making pools of light and shadow on the forest floor. Rey was standing in front of him with her lightsaber lit, giving her a faint blue aura.

"You're a monster," she said menacingly, before striking at him. He dodged the blow and quickly raised his own lightsaber, just in time to block her next strike. This time she was the one attacking and pushing him back. She was fast. Rey feigned an attack at his head which he moved to block, then suddenly swung down to strike his legs. He fell to his knees, the pain searing like fire across his shins. She moved to strike again, but he caught her arm as she swung down towards his head. He twisted her down to the ground, pinning the hand which held the saber so she couldn't strike again and bringing his saber down into her chest. She let out a gasp of pain, and tears brimmed her eyes.

It had happened so fast, that it had almost been reflex. Ren hadn't had time to think before he struck. But as he watched the light going out of her eyes, he felt a pang of regret. He knew it was just an illusion, but it seemed so real that it was hard not to forget that sometimes. Before she let out her final breath, she reached up and touched his face, just as his father had done before he died. Had he forgiven Ren at the end? Would Rey?

 _Good, good_ , Snoke laughed in his ear, as the room went back to normal, Rey disappearing before his eyes. Kylo Ren was breathing hard. He felt like he might throw up. _Again._

After several hours of training, Kylo Ren was exhausted, both physically and mentally. He had killed Rey countless times, in lots of different ways and in several places. It made him feel miserable. To be fair, she had "killed" him a few times too, but that had been just as bad. Even an illusionary Rey didn't take pleasure in his pain, and he had seen that in her eyes. He had _felt_ her remorse. Snoke had finally decided to stop the training when Ren's blaster wound had started bleeding again.

"You have done well, Kylo Ren," Snoke said when he emerged from the room, dripping sweat and blood. "I received a report while you were training. It seems one of our spies inside the Resistance base was able to recover the map to Luke Skywalker."

In Ren's weary state, it took a moment to register what Snoke had said. Then, his mind catching up, he asked, "Do we have it yet? Do we know where he is?"

"It's being uploaded as we speak. We must act quickly if we're to keep the Resistance from getting to him first. They may have already," Snoke was speaking quickly, and Ren thought he sensed a tinge of fear in him. "I need you on a ship right away. The crew is preparing the vessel now. I have a medic droid and healing tank ready for you on board so you can heal on the way."

"Yes, Supreme Leader, I'll head there now." Ren walked quickly, his limp even more pronounced than it had been before training.

"Oh, and Kylo Ren," He stopped to look back as Snoke called after him. "We will complete your training upon your return. Once Skywalker is dead," he added with a tone of menace.

Kylo Ren nodded and was on his way again. He realized as he was boarding the ship that he had left his helmet in the training room. He felt exposed without it, but there wasn't time to go back for it. He made his way to the medic bay on the ship. He needed as much healing time as he could get if he was going to be fighting Luke Skywalker.

It was not a large ship, but it had all the basic necessities for a longer voyage. It appeared he had about ten crew members, pilots and stormtroopers included. He wouldn't need that many, especially considering he would probably leave them on the ship when they arrived, but he supposed it didn't hurt to have backup.

Upon arrival at the medic bay, the droid took one look at the blood stain on Ren's side and urged him to sit down. Ren sat on the small platform in the medic room, just as a stormtrooper entered. He saluted and said, "Sir, we have the coordinates. Permission to depart?"

"Granted," Ren said, "And be sure to come wake me as soon as we arrive."

The stormtrooper saluted and left without another word. The medic droid began cutting away Ren's clothing to expose the site of injury.

"There doesn't appear to be internal bleeding, but it will need stitches right away. I'll go fetch an anesthetic," the droid turned around and began looking through the drawers of a small cabinet.

"That won't be necessary," Kylo Ren said.

"If you say so, sir," the droid said, gathering the supplies to sterilize and stitch the wound. In a matter of minutes, the wound was stitched and clean. The droid hadn't put a dressing on it since Ren would be going directly into the healing tank. No sense in wasting supplies. The droid led Kylo Ren to the tank, which was about the size of a small shower.

Ren stripped down and stepped into the tank at the droid's beckoning. The droid then gave him a respirator mask and said, "Don't forget to breathe," before shutting the door. It went to the computer console, making a few adjustments and then left the room. The bluish watery fluid immediately began filling the tank. It was warm and tingled when it touched his wounds.

Once he was completely submerged, he finally began to relax. He hadn't realized how tense he was until he felt his muscles loosen and his jaw unclench. A tingling numbness came over his whole body, and his breaths became slow and steady. The quiet that came with being underwater was soothing to his mind as well, and it wasn't long before Ren fell into a deep sleep.

 _Kylo Ren opened his eyes. He thought he had been meditating, but he couldn't remember now. He was sitting cross-legged in the middle of a grassy, gently sloping hill. Sunlight shone down from a cloudless sky, warming his skin. Bright green grass stretched out for hundreds of meters all around him, rocky outcroppings littering the hill behind and to the sides of him. Sprawling out before him was deep blue ocean as far as the eye could see, small islands dotting his view here and there. Was this Rey's island - the one he had briefly glimpsed in her mind?_

 _As if being summoned by his thoughts, Rey appeared in front of him. Her sudden appearance startled him at first. He expected an attack and almost reached for his lightsaber, but he relaxed when he saw her face. She was smiling down at him. "Finally awake? Are we going to start this training, or what?"_

 _That's right. They were starting her training today. How had he forgotten. "I was meditating, actually. Something you should start doing if you want to grow stronger with the force."_

" _Duly noted," Rey said nodding and putting on a more serious expression. "So, where do we start?"_

 _Ren took a moment to think about this. "Well, when I first became a student, I was studying the Jedi arts with Luke Skywalker, and we started with the lightsaber. Now, I don't agree with all of his methods, but I think that would be a good starting point," he stopped when he saw Rey's astounded expression._

" _You trained with Luke Skywalker? That must've been amazing!"_

" _Yes, well…" Ren searched for the right words. "It didn't last all that long."_

" _Oh," Rey sombered. "He seems like an ass anyway. You're probably better off."_

" _Wait, what? When did you meet him?"_

" _Today, I think," Rey looked up in thought. "It's a little hard to say. Time works differently here. But I found him and tried to convince him to train me and help the Resistance. And then the bastard drugged me."_

 _A flash of anger rose in him unexpectedly. It wasn't anger at Rey for seeking Luke's help, but anger that he may have harmed her. He stood and moved close to her, grasping her arms gently and looking down into her eyes. "Did he hurt you?" His anger was ridiculous and hypocritical, he knew. He himself had done worse to her, but he had never intended to truly harm her. Ren couldn't know Luke's intentions. Maybe he had sensed the same power in her Ren had. Whether Rey admitted it or not, there was darkness in it._

" _No, he just put something in my tea," Rey shook her head. "It's really not that big of a deal. I'm sure he had his reasons."_

 _Ren let out a deep sigh. "Rey, listen to me. I want you to know that I will do anything I can to protect you," he paused to let it sunk in. "But if you stay with Skywalker, with the Resistance...I won't be able to stop what happens to you." He looked pleadingly into her eyes._

" _What are you talking about?" Rey's expression turned mildly frightened. "What's going to happen to me?"_

" _You need to leave, Rey. I'm on my way to Luke Skywalker as we speak with a small group of First Order soldiers. You can't be there when we arrive." He paused, the next words coming painfully, "They could kill you." He could kill her is what he really meant, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. He couldn't let it come to that._

 _Rey took a long time to say anything. She didn't seem frightened anymore, but he could see her mind working, trying to figure a way out of her predicament. Finally she said, "I'll have to convince Luke to leave. I doubt he'll believe me, but I have to try." She looked up apologetically._

" _Whatever you have to do, just make sure you're gone," Ren insisted. He could find Luke another way, he was sure. But if anything happened to Rey… He didn't want to think about that._

 _Rey gave him a quick nod, then leaned up on the tips of her toes to kiss him lightly on the cheek, the sensation of her lips on his skin leaving him warm all over. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear, lingering there just a little too long._

 _Ren pulled her body against his to embrace her, bringing his head down to place a soft kiss on the side of her neck. She sighed and leaned into him, tilting her head slightly to the side. Taking the invitation, he continued, slowly kissing up her neck. When he reached her jaw, she turned and kissed him passionately on the lips. In unison, their lips parted, tongues intertwining._

 _With one swift motion, Ren used one arm to pick Rey up off the ground, holding her by the back of her thigh as she wrapped her legs around him. Then he swung their bodies down, laying Rey on the soft grass and lowering himself slowly down onto her with his free arm, lips never parting. He settled his hips in between her thighs and thrusted gently against her, already stiff with longing. Finally, Rey broke the kiss, and both of them were breathing hard. "So much for training," Rey teased, quirking a smile at him._

" _Oh, well if that's what you wanted…" Ren rolled off her and onto his back beside her, feining disappointment._

 _Rey was quick to follow him, rolling over and straddling his hips, grinding hers into him gently, as if in answer. "It can wait." Kylo Ren smiled then. Rey didn't think she'd ever seen him do that before. It was stunning. She leaned down to kiss him, and he lifted his head off the ground to meet her, moaning softly against her lips. She moved from his lips and up his jawline, planting soft kisses as she went. When she reached his earlobe, she tugged lightly on it with her teeth and whispered, "Close your eyes."_

 _Ren obeyed. Every sensation was magnified as Rey started moving lower. She began by kissing the scar on his cheek, then trailed her lips down along his neck until she reached his collarbone. There, she pulled his robes back just enough to brush her lips lightly against the scar on his shoulder, yet another wound she had inflicted on him. Her free hand traced a line down across his chest, down the side of his abdomen, then down across his thigh, pushing it outward to spread his legs wider. She then doubled back, her hand trailing up his inner thigh until it reached the hard bulge in between._

 _Rey stroked along the length of it, feeling him pulse under her fingers despite the thick cloth of his pants. Ren let out a small sigh of pleasure, and Rey had to look up to make sure he was keeping his eyes closed. With one last kiss to his collarbone, she lowered herself all the way down to his middle and began to undo his belt. She then lowered his pants down just below the his pelvis, his cock coming free and standing stiff before her, a slight upward curve near the end._

 _She began to stroke slowly up and down his shaft, and he bucked his hips just slightly, urging her on. As before, Rey started higher up, placing soft kisses along Ren's hip bone and gradually moving her way down. By the time she reached his inner thigh, he was moaning softly in anticipation. Deciding that he had finally had enough, Rey brought her lips to the base of his shaft, then trailed her tongue slowly to the tip before wrapping her lips all the way around him. Ren let out a gasp of pleasure and relief as Rey sank down over him and began bobbing her head up and down in a steady rhythm, dragging her tongue along the underside of his cock as she went. Her hand held him steady and moved up and down his length in the opposite direction of her mouth._

" _Ah, yes…" Rey heard him say above her, and she felt him grow even harder. She moved faster, knowing he must be close, and glanced up to see his face as he came undone. He was looking down at her intensely, his dark eyes meeting hers, and she felt her face grow hot under his gaze. She was only slightly annoyed that he wasn't following her instructions. His face was also flushed, sweat beginning to bead in the hair that fell over his face. Then suddenly, Rey saw him throw his head back and moan loudly as salty seed filled her mouth. She sat up on his lap and wiped her mouth, feeling rather pleased with herself as she looked down at Ren, who was breathing heavily and lying prostrate beneath her._

 _After a moment, Ren regained his composure and lifted his eyes to look up at her. There was something in the intensity of his gaze that made Rey feel self conscious, something soft and adoring, yet also hungry. "And now," he said a little hoarsely, "it's your turn." He sat up, taking her head in both of his hands, and kissed her deeply. His right hand moved down her back, supporting her as he flipped her over so that she was lying supine in the grass below him. "Now, you close your_ _eyes," he said huskily._

" _Copy cat," Rey smirked up at him._

" _We'll see," he quirked a smile back at her. "Eyes closed," he repeated. This time she obeyed. And then he was gone. She couldn't feel his body against hers anymore, and she wondered what he was doing. She was half tempted to open her eyes in case he wasn't looking, but she suppressed the urge. Then Rey felt it, a slight shifting of her garments, almost as if the wind were pushing them, but they were being pushed opposite of the island's cool breeze._

 _First, the strips of cloth on her right arm began to tug. She lifted the arm, and the cloth slowly unraveled, brushing her skin so lightly as it left that it sent shivers down her spine. When the last bit of cloth left her right arm, the left one started to unravel. At the same time, she felt herself lift off the ground. She didn't really feel like she would fall, but the sensation was eerie and almost made her open her eyes. Next, her belt came undone, falling to the grass with a soft thud._

 _Her robes began unraveling and sliding over her head, pants sliding down over her feet, and suddenly she was completely exposed, floating naked above the grass. She fought the urge to cover herself. She couldn't remember a time when she'd been completely naked in front of anyone. As the moments passed, she felt her cheeks grow warm. What was he doing? And still she hadn't felt him touch her. Had he really done all that with just the force? She definitely had some tricks to learn._

 _Then, without warning, she felt the thin cloth of her arm band sliding over her body like a snake. It swirled around her arm, moving down to brush against her neck, and then moved up the opposite arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake. It felt better than it had any right to. Next, it snaked over her bare breasts, and she felt her nipples harden in response. Rey gasped and let her head relax back as the cloth moved lower, sliding in between her folds and rubbing lightly against her clit, making her shiver and moan._

 _The cloth doubled back for another pass, now noticeably wetter. Rey now felt the second cloth brush her foot and begin to swirl lightly up her leg. It brushed over her ass and up her lower back, and then finally weaved its way around to slide over and around her breasts. By this time, the first cloth had begun turning in figure eights around her upper thighs, always meeting back at her middle to send a fresh wave of sensation through her body. She thought it would drive her crazy, as it brought her closer and closer to climax, but never all the way._

 _Then suddenly, both cloths fell away, and Rey felt herself being lowered back into the cool grass. Her body was tensed to the point of breaking, and her heart was racing. Still Rey didn't open her eyes. Then she felt the warmth of Ren's body press down on her, first between her thighs, where she felt that he was stiff and ready again, then onto her torso and chest, and finally the warmth of his lips pressed against hers. His robes appeared to be gone as well, since she only felt warm skin on hers. "You can open your eyes now," he said softly._

 _Rey opened her eyes, and her suspicion was confirmed as she admired his bare chest and shoulders. "That was amazing," she breathed. "You have to teach me how to do that."_

" _Later maybe?" Ren said huskily, looking down into her eyes. Rey felt his hips move so that he was positioned right above her entrance, and she bucked her hips up with longing for him, the tip now almost in._

" _Later," she nodded, meeting his intense gaze as he drove himself into her. He was still for just a moment as they both let out sighs of relief. It felt so good just to have him inside of her finally. Once the moment passed, he began thrusting in a steady rhythm, her hips moving against his in synchrony. Her hands roamed over his wide back, nails digging in when he hit just the right spot. Feeling her tense, he rotated his hips, grinding hard against her, and then she was coming undone. Rey screamed, sinking her teeth into his unscarred shoulder to muffle the sound._

 _He began to thrust steadily again, and Rey rode the waves of her orgasm, no longer aware of anything but him. Ren stiffened and pumped his hips faster, coming hard and spilling himself inside her. They lay there for a long moment, Ren's face buried in Rey's shoulder. Both of them were breathless._

 _Rey stroked her fingers through his now tangled hair, wishing this moment didn't have to end. She knew that it would, however. She was already starting to remember things she didn't want to - like the fact that she and Kylo Ren weren't really lovers. They were enemies. This was all a dream, and no matter how wonderful it seemed, it could never be reality. Ren lifted himself up finally and propped his head up so that he could admire her. When he looked into her eyes, he saw tears beginning to form._

 _He knew what she must be thinking. This wasn't real, and it never could be. A tear broke free and ran down her cheek. He brushed it away and kissed her. Rey kissed him back deeply, but she could already feel him starting to slip away. She reached out her hand to pull him closer, but there was nothing there._

Rey opened her eyes, and she was in Luke's small home. Her hands were bound together in front of her and she was lying on the small bed in the corner. She sat up quickly and looked around, tears still blurring her vision. Luke was sitting at the table looking over at her.

"It's about time you woke up," he said, sounding slightly annoyed. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Yes, we do," said Rey, anger seeping into her voice. She started to say something and then stopped herself. Would Luke think she was crazy? Did it really matter? She reached her bound hands up to wipe the tears away from her eyes, and took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing_ , she thought. "We need to leave here. Right away."


	4. Chapter 4: Revelations

"We need to leave here. Right away," Rey looked Luke straight in the eyes and tried her best to sound forceful. Assuming her dreams had even the slightest bearing on reality, she had to convince Luke to get off of this planet. If she couldn't, chances were good that Kylo Ren would kill Luke, and any hopes the Resistance had of reviving the Jedi would die with him. The thought occurred to her suddenly that there was also a chance Luke could kill Kylo Ren. And in that moment, Rey realized she didn't want that outcome, either. The thought made her sick to her stomach.

Luke was looking at her with a mixture of contempt and disbelief. "You expect me to listen to you after you lied to me? Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out?"

Rey's face screwed up in confusion. "Lied…? Figure out…what?" She shook her head slightly. Had he seen into her mind while she slept? Her stomach dropped as she replayed the dream in her head and imagined what Luke would have thought if he did. He'd probably think she was with the First Order, a double agent of some kind. Her legs pulled in reflexively to cover her chest as she wondered just how much of her dream he might've seen. "It's...it's not what you think," she said shakily, no longer meeting Luke's eyes.

"So you're not with the First Order? You're not one of Snoke's new dark apprentices?" Luke's glare was so intense, Rey could feel it, even though she wasn't looking. She scoured her memory trying to figure out if Jedi had the power to burn you up with their eyes. She didn't think so.

"I'm not!" she pleaded, mustering up the courage to lift her eyes again. "Whatever you saw-"

"I saw you pass out right after drinking this tea!" he cut her off and grabbed for her tea cup, its contents sloshing over the edges as he picked it up a little too quickly. "Do you know what this tea does?" Luke didn't wait for her response, but continued on in a slightly calmer tone. "The plant that this tea is made from reacts to the dark side of the force. For it to have reacted to you the way it did... Well, you must have a significant connection with the dark side. So, either you're lying, or you're a dark side user on your own. Either way, I don't see this going well for you."

The color was draining from Rey's face. She had a connection to the dark side? How could that be? Surely a couple sex dreams weren't enough to turn you evil. Unless the simple act of giving in...of letting herself be seduced by Kyo Ren, dream or not, had been enough to tip the scales. Her eyes started to burn with fresh tears, "I'm not evil," she heard herself whisper. "I'm not like him." Luke's eyes met hers, and they turned suddenly from suspicion to empathy. He must've seen the shock on her face and known she wasn't lying. Or maybe sensing the truth was a Jedi power as well? Kylo Ren had been able to read her mind after all. Somehow, she didn't think Luke had that power.

"Don't cry," he said soothingly, setting the teacup down on the table behind him. Luke watched her for a long moment, searching her eyes. Finally, he let out a deep sigh and ran his fingers through his greying hair. "Maybe there's another explanation. Have you noticed anything strange since you discovered your force connection? Heard any voices? Had any strange dreams?"

Rey's face flushed at the mention of dreams, but something else Luke had said made her remember something. _Voices_ … "Back on Starkiller Base when I was fighting Kylo Ren, I _did_ hear a voice. I didn't think anything of it at the time, everything was happening too fast."

"Do you remember what it said?" Luke prodded.

"It told me...to kill him. It was after I'd won," her eyes went unfocused as she replayed the memory in her mind. "He was on the ground, and I could feel myself being drawn to him. I was stalking him like a predator stalks its prey. I could hear the voice in my head, but it wasn't my own. It said he was weak, and that I should kill him."

"But you didn't. You resisted." Luke said encouragingly.

"More like the planet fell apart before I got the chance. I _wanted_ to kill him, and I might have gone through with it." Tears filled her eyes again. "Does that make me evil?"

"No," Luke said gently. "You do need to be careful though, It sounds like Snoke may be getting into your head."

"But I've never even seen him. How is that possible?"

"He only needs to know that you exist. If you know it's happening, you can resist it if you know how. I can teach you," Luke reached for the tea cup again and held it out to Rey. "Drinking this also helps. I drink it every day as a precaution. If Snoke's influence is what caused the tea to react to you, it should have cleansed you by now. It should be safe for you to drink."

Rey eyed the cup dubiously. The tea hadn't been poisoned like she originally thought, but what if she really had darkness in her? She guessed this was Luke's way of testing his theory. If she passed out again, he definitely wouldn't trust her. If she didn't pass out, he was right and she was rid of any pull Snoke might have on her, whether she had been aware of it or not. Did that mean her dreams would stop too? Rey didn't know how she felt about that. Her initial reaction was to be relieved, but there was disappointment too.

Rey shook the thoughts from her mind and took the cup, holding it awkwardly in her bound hands. She looked into it uneasily, then up at Luke. He nodded solemnly for her to drink. She had the sudden sinking feeling that she should have been more honest with him. _I should have told him about the dreams_ , she thought with dismay as she tipped back the cup and drank down the remaining tea, now cold, in one gulp.

The two of them waited a few minutes in silence, each second seeming an eternity. Rey thought she could feel sweat forming on her brow, and she wondered if she was reacting to the tea again, but nothing more happened. After what seemed like forever, Rey let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Relief filled her. She wasn't evil after all.

Luke smiled at her a little sheepishly. "I hope you'll forgive my behavior before. I knew I sensed something familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it right away." He sighed and his expression became somber again. "You see, I had a student before that eventually succumbed to the dark side. The feeling that I got from you before was the same that I felt from him shortly before he turned. I know now that it was Snoke's influence."

"The student… It was Kylo Ren, wasn't it?" Rey asked hesitantly.

Luke gave her a strange look before answering, "Yes. How did you know that?"

"Good guess," Rey shrugged off the question, realizing she knew that information because Kylo Ren had basically told her as much in her dream. Or at least, he had told her that he had been a student of Luke's. It wasn't a big leap to assume that he had been the student Luke spoke of.

Luke sat forward in his chair, looking hard at Rey. It made her feel uncomfortable, as if he could see right through her. Maybe she had been wrong about Luke not having mind reading abilities. "You know, if you want me to trust you, you should really tell me the truth."

 _Crap,_ Rey thought, color draining from her face. Her heart rate increased tenfold as she tried to find a way to explain her dreams to Luke without _explaining_ them. Maybe he already knew, but she still wasn't ready to tell anyone out loud. "Fine, you're right. I'm sorry." She took a deep breath, and Luke sat back in his chair, folding his robed arms over his chest waiting to hear what she had to say. "I may have had a dream or two as well."

"With Snoke?" Luke asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"No...with Kylo Ren," she paused and waited to see if Luke would say anything, but he just sat patiently, not seeming overly surprised. "He was…" her mind flashed to an image of Ren's head between her thighs, and she felt her face flush. She prayed Luke didn't notice as she shook the thought away. "He was training me sort of, but I don't remember much. We talked and he told me that you were his teacher once."

"Hmm," Luke sat quietly for a moment and then asked, "Were you dreaming about him before you woke up a few moments ago?"

Rey nodded, seeing her opening to bring up leaving the planet again. "Yes, he told me that I needed to leave the island because he was on his way here to fight you."

"So you think this is really him in your dreams? Or just some kind of premonition?" Luke asked, scratching his beard.

"I don't know, but either way I think we should get out of here, and soon," Rey looked pleadingly into Luke's eyes, but his expression was one of resignation.

"I believe you, Rey," Luke said slowly, "But I can't leave this place, especially if Kylo Ren is coming here." He leaned forward, taking Rey's bound hands and beginning to undo the restraints as Rey stared at him in open-mouthed disbelief.

"But he's going to kill you," she protested.

"He will try," Luke finished untying Rey's hands. "But you should go. I don't want to put anyone else in danger."

Rey rubbed her wrists where her bonds had been, and shook her head trying to understand. "You're the last Jedi, you can't die. What is here for you that you won't leave?"

"Death isn't as much of an obstacle as you may think, Rey," Luke said, his eyes focusing on the space beside her. Rey turned to see what he was looking at, but there was nothing there except empty space. She turned back to him, a quizzical expression on her face. Had Luke gone crazy in his isolation? He shook his head and refocused on Rey, "But nevermind that. This is the last Jedi temple and possibly the first. All the others have been plundered and destroyed. There is power here that the First Order will use to its advantage if it can, and I can't let that happen."

" _This_ is a temple? All I've seen is a bunch of worn down stone buildings and rocks. What could the First Order possibly do with that?" Rey asked incredulously.

Luke smiled at her, a glint of something in his blue eyes. It reminded Rey of a look she'd seen merchants on Jakku give customers right before showing them their most expensive wares. "I'll show you," he said. "It's something you'll need before you go anyway."

After gathering up her pack, now stuffed with a large bag of tea leaves that Luke had insisted she take, Rey followed Luke down a winding path on the other side of the dilapidated stone village. The sun was still out, though covered by thick clouds, so Rey decided that she must not have been unconscious all that long. Although the wind blowing across the island felt chillier than it had before when she was climbing up the long stairs, and the clouds were slightly darker, occasionally dropping a big water droplet on her face or arms.

"There's going to be a storm tonight, I think," Luke mused. "We'd best hurry. You don't want to be flying during a storm here."

"I still think you should come with me," Rey said, wondering what kind of storms they must have in a place like this. Definitely not the sandstorms she was used to. There was no sand, after all. Her thoughts went briefly to the vision she'd had when she touched Luke's lightsaber back in Maz's temple. She'd stood in front of Kylo Ren and several others on a rocky cliff as torrents of water fell on them. The ground here was not so different from that of her vision. She shivered to think of it, hoping her vision had not been a premonition. She didn't want to face Kylo Ren again any time soon.

"You'll see why I can't leave soon enough," Luke stopped at a gaping hole in the mountain side at the end of the path. Though it was still light outside, inside the cave was pure darkness. "We're here." There were stone torches with intricate designs on either side of the cave entrance, though neither were lit. Luke took one of these and then pulled out a lightsaber from his belt, a different one from the one Rey had brought. He placed it within a small indentation in the side of the torch and ignited it.

Green light emanated from the torch head in a soft glow and peeked through little holes in carvings along the handle. It was beautiful. Rey wondered how it worked, especially without hurting the wielder of the torch. Luke handed her the other torch, nodding for her to do the same. Reaching into her pack, Rey pulled out Luke's other lightsaber, the one she had found at Maz's temple, and placed it into the indentation on her own torch.

She ignited her lightsaber and marveled as her torch filled with the same blue glow as that of the saber. "That's amazing!" Rey said, a large grin spreading across her face as she studied her torch. She passed her hand over the lit areas of the handle, feeling the rough engravings and the slight warmth of the light, but it wasn't hot at all.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Luke smiled back at her. He turned and entered into the cave, a green orb of light surrounding him in the narrow passage, and waved for Rey to follow.

It seemed as though they were walking into nothing. Once the tunnel, which was unnervingly narrow, had taken its first bend, any light from the outside was gone. Past their spheres of blue and green light was the purest dark Rey had ever seen. The path wound deeper and deeper into the mountain, occasionally splitting into two or three separate paths, running off into the black unknown. She hoped desperately that Luke knew his way. The further they walked, the less sure Rey was that she could find her way out of here on her own.

The air was colder down here as well, making Rey thankful for the warmth of her torch. Just when she was about to ask how much further they had to go, she started to see little crystals poking out of the walls, each glowing with their own soft light. There were all different colors, and the further they walked, the more concentrated they seemed to become. "What are these?" Rey asked in wonder. This was the first they had spoken since entering the cave.

"They're called kyber crystals," Luke explained. "They are used to make lightsabers. Within them lies the living energy of the force. Can you feel it?"

Rey stopped and looked hard at one of the small crystal, a purple one. She focused on it, but she really wasn't sure what she was trying to feel. "I'm not really sure," she admitted.

Luke doubled back to stand beside her. "Close your eyes," he said gently, and she obeyed. "Reach out with your feelings. Try to sense where the crystal is."

Rey did so, still not entirely sure what she was doing. At first there was nothing, just the blackness behind her eyes. But then she _felt_ something, a tiny flicker. It was like a ripple in a glass of water, and then she could almost see the crystal in her mind, a soft purple blur focusing into shape. Her sense spread out, and she was suddenly aware of Luke as well. His was a much larger ripple, a torrent of power. Her eyes snapped open in surprise. "I did it!" she said excitedly. Luke just smiled and turned back down the tunnel.

Now that she knew what she was trying to feel, she realized that she had felt it all along. When she had first come to the island, she had sensed something. It had been strong, whatever she had felt. She wondered now if had been Luke or something else. She closed her eyes again, still walking and dragging her fingertips lightly along the tunnel wall to ensure she didn't run into it.

In the darkness, she reached out again with her feelings, testing her newfound ability. She sensed the walls around her, speckled with different colored crystals. She sensed Luke in front of her, still leading her deeper into the cave, and then she felt something stronger. It was huge and full of light, and it was very close. She opened her eyes again and realized that Luke had stopped. They were at another bend in the tunnel.

"We're here," Luke said simply, holding out his arm to usher Rey forward. She walked ahead of him into a large open cave beyond the tunnel. It was filled with a white glow, which emanated from a huge, white crystal at the center. The cave walls and ceiling were covered in the small kyber crystals as well, but the white light overpowered that of the the small multicolored crystals. Rey moved closer to the large one, and watched with fascination as the light inside the crystal swirled around, as if it were filled with a shimmery, milky liquid on the inside.

Rey was drawn by the power of the crystal. As she moved closer, she realized just how massive it was. It's pointed peak nearly reached with cave ceiling, which must have been at least 30 feet above her head. And she didn't think ten men, standing fingertip to fingertip, could reach all the way around its wide base. She took one final step towards it and reached her hand out to touch it, but Luke took hold of her hand gently and broke her out of her reverie. "Is this a kyber crystal too?" she asked, knowing the answer before she finished asking. It had to be. She could feel the power in it, the same as the smaller crystals only much more of it. If the little crystals could make lightsabers, she wondered warily what this one could do.

"It is," Luke said, looking up at it admiringly. "Because of its size, it is obviously much more powerful than the ones used to power lightsabers. With this, the enemy could make a terrible weapon or use the knowledge it contains to train an army of dark Jedi. _This_ is why I cannot leave with you. Someone has to be here to protect it."

"Knowledge it contains?" Rey echoed. "What do you mean?"

"That is what I want to show you," Luke answered cryptically. "I didn't want you to touch it and go on your own. For someone so inexperienced, it wouldn't be safe."

Rey eyed the crystal warily. "Not safe, how?" she asked taking a small step back.

"You'll be fine with me," Luke replied, holding out his hand in invitation for her to take it. She did, and without any further explanation, Luke placed both of their hands simultaneously on the crystal.

Rey felt a lurching sensation, as if the floor had suddenly dropped from beneath her. When she looked down, she realized that it had. She was floating, surrounded by the white glow of the crystal, only it was brighter now, all around her. Luke still had a hold of her hand, but she couldn't feel it anymore. She could sense his presence, but her sense of touch was gone. Rey looked at him in bewilderment, and saw that he wasn't solid anymore. She could see through him. When she looked down at her hand, she saw that the same had happened to her. She was like a ghost. "What is this? What happened?" Rey asked, alarm creeping into her voice.

"Relax, it's okay," Luke soothed. "Our life forces are inside the crystal. It sounds scary, but we can go back to our bodies at any time."

The thought of being outside her body panicked Rey even more. "Does that mean we're dead? I want out!"

"No, Rey. Relax," he said more firmly. "Time stands still in here. It will allow you to access more of your power, learn more of your potential. Meet long dead Jedi…" he trailed off, tilting his head and looking off to his right.

Rey followed his gaze, trying to slow her breathing. Was she even breathing? She suddenly realized that they were in a space much larger than what the inside of the crystal could possibly contain, and they weren't alone. Men and women of every species drifted around them. Some wore robes like Luke's, while others wore more exotic clothing. They were silent, standing (or floating rather) in a large circle around the two of them. It was somewhat eerie, but when she closed her eyes and reached out to them, all she felt was a warm, welcoming energy.

"You see?" Luke said reassuringly. "When I was taught as Jedi, there were only two left. And much of what they knew, they didn't have time to teach me. I learned so much after I discovered this place, so much I wish I had known before trying to teach others." This last statement had a tinge of sadness in it, Rey noticed, but didn't say so.

"So...you want them to train me?" Rey asked, gesturing towards their silent audience.

Luke nodded, "Yes. I will help as well. There isn't time to train you as a full Jedi, but I think when we're done here, you'll have more to build on than I did. Just remember, if you start feeling tired, let me know immediately. It's very important."

Rey nodded and looked around in awe and growing excitement. She was going to be a Jedi, or at least mostly. "When do we start?"

Luke smiled and turned towards a figure that had broken from the circle and was now walking towards them. It was small and walked with a cane. As it grew closer, Rey noticed that it had green skin and large ears that sat over a wizened face. It looked up at her, seeming to size her up.

"Start now, we will," the creature said.

"Rey, I'd like you to meet Master Yoda."


End file.
